Securing a Jump Ramp

bassfooter

Hi Ballers - We just set up a ramp in a public area, and we're looking for ideas on how to prevent people from using it who are not vetted by one of the local clubs. We also need to keep jetskiers from using it. Probably something that's locked to the jump surface and visible at a distance. Ideally, it would be lockable, easy to remove and replace, and easy to keep out of the way during jump sessions. Also -- and don't kill me for asking, please -- will it damage the ramp if wakeboarders use it? It's a glassed plywood surface.

dbutcher

I know it's a lot of trouble, but is it possible to pull the jump to the shore when it's not being used? If not, please be sure the club(s) and individual members have lots and lots of liability insurance - that provides coverage. I'm glad but amazed that you got permission to have a jump in public water. One of your biggest exposures comes from boat loads of drunks who run into it at night. They get hurt and may be too intoxicated to save themselves from drowning.

SundevilSki

Ive seen jumps that have a rope with buoy's attached to it over the middle of the surface and lock it to the side when not in use

LeonL

Mount a pipe on each side of the front. Select a size smaller that will slide down into mounted pipe. Connect the two smaller pipes with another pipe or your choice of barrier. When in use slide barrier down. When you're through slide up and put a pin in with a lock. Some type of lights will be necessary to prevent collision at night.

Intheday

Plastic 44 gallon drum with hole in bottom and top. Pass chain through and padlock to ramp

bassfooter

Great suggestions, thanks! I love this site.

@dbutcher - moving it to the shoreline won't work, unfortunately. We're in a public park and it would be way too easy to access.

I like the ideas of a barrier mounted on the front of the ramp that can be easily lowered or removed. It can't be too complicated - we are talking about water skiers here...jumpers, no less! The only other concern I have is leaving the lower part of the ramp open to someone taking a jump off the side.

Wish

You could run a sting of oversized pool noodles across the bottom, sorta half on the water half stuck to the ramp with a rope through them and bungee strapped to ramp at each side. They won't last forever in the sun but they are cheap. Could someone remove them..?...sure but it may be just enough of a hassle not to mess and with the batacade across the top, it probably would be even less likely. Plus the whole thing would be less then $15 bucks so no big loss there. Unhook one side, swing it around so it rests along the side of ramp while jumping and swing it back in place when you're done.

eleeski

Dave, the goal is to not hurt anyone. Whether it is a club member who doesn't pay attention or a wakeboard poacher, whatever secures the jump must not injure anyone. I'm very leery of gates at the top of the jump that someone might try to hop over. Something at the base might also trip an idiot onto the ramp. The old ramp was there for years without frequent damage (of course, the old ramp was an obvious deathtrap - but all jumps look like that to me).

Maybe just leaving it open might be safest and encourage more jumping.

Eric

PS A college wakeboarder did a nice 3/4 cut and flew 85 feet on a wakeboard. Wakeboard jumping can rock.

Wayne

There are two lakes near me with jumps. One is semi-public the other is private. Both are owned by the individual lakes' ski teams. In both cases they drag the ramps to shore when not in use for safety/liability concerns.

The semi-public site occasionally leaves theirs in for extended periods, they have an annual ski show, which they mark the ramp with a ton of bouys and the plastic flags on a string type banner at the top and bottom (all plastic so if some moron ignores everything the banners will snap easily. So far I have not heard about an issue.

Another idea that came to mind is something I saw at a lake managed by the Army Core of Engineers used to restrict access to the inlet on a flood control dam. They ran a line of floating logs chained end to end so you couldn't get a boat through. Then about 20 feet from the logs was a bunch of warning bouys. Both served as a pretty aggressive visual deterrent.

bassfooter

Thanks, guys. Killer ideas. Big +1 to @eleeski for pointing out that the idea is not to hurt anyone, because he's absolutely correct.